Our Ranger Tug Family is Growing to Include a Cutwater Boat

I imagine our blog subscribers are wondering where all the summer posts are. Well, we are still waiting to take delivery of our new Ranger Tugs R25, so we have been taking a little hiatus from the blog during this time. It was a long, hot summer for Jim and me without a boat, but we found a few things to do to distract from our misery.

Jim continued working on his house projects until just recently, while I have been working on a new boating book. To keep us sane, at the end of many beautiful northern Michigan days we headed for the beach. We packed beach blankets and towels, chairs, snacks, or dinner, and a beverage to sit by the water on either East Bay or West Bay of Traverse City. We figured it was the closest thing to sitting in the cockpit of Kismet we were going to get until we take delivery of our new boat.

However, we had a pleasant surprise early this summer, and it involved a boat.
Our son Skyler and his wife, Meghan, bought a Cutwater Boat. They had just become boat owners for the first time, two years ago, a 26-foot Regal. After spending last summer on it, they felt they could better define their boating needs, and the Regal was just not doing the trick.

As luck would have it, a boating friend of ours had a 28-foot Cutwater Boat they had just put up for sale. We knew the boat well and thought it would be a good fit for them. So Skyler, Meghan, and Jim hopped into our truck and drove to Grand Rivers, Kentucky to check out the boat, which they ended up buying and towing home to Michigan.

So, since we could not be out on the water this last summer, we lived vicariously through Skyler and Meghan. Having one of our sons share our passion for boating is satisfying beyond words. Just knowing they are out there getting their sea legs and talking about all the trips they want to take, on Master Plan, helped us get through boating season.

Ever Heard of a “Baby Moon?”
The happy “twosome” is soon to become a “threesome” any day now. They are looking forward to incorporating a baby into the mix (another future boater in the making). With the more accommodating Cutwater Boat, they can now feel more comfortable anchoring out, which they did several times this summer.

They also took a “Baby Moon.” Kind of like a honeymoon, but a get-a-way that precedes a new baby’s arrival. Their trip started from their slip in Traverse City to Petoskey (60 miles). Heading out early in the morning, all reports from the crew were glowing as they had mostly sunny skies and calm waters for the cruise north. It was a week-long trip that also included a stop in Charlevoix and Boyne City.

It’s been fun to watch as these two define what boating means to them and their growing family. Even though we see them approaching most of the steps we took to become seasoned boaters, we feel confident they will forge their own way out onto the water. It will be exciting to watch as they grow into a cruising lifestyle all their own.

Friends, Mary and Riley, enjoy some time rafted off Master Plan.